Time To End The Nightmare
by Bleeding Wings
Summary: To Spike's dismay, he has survived the wrath of the Red Dragons. Even after cheating Death again, the past still has an iron grip on him. What will Spike do to break away from his dark past? Prepare yourselves for the SHOCKING answer...
1. It Rains Every Day

~~Disclaimer~~ Of course, I don't claim any rights to Cowboy Bebop. However, this fic taking place after the end of the show is my idea.  
  
This fic was originally NC-17. Since no one under FF.net allowed me to edit the story, I decided to re-post it under a different rating. I made a few changes to make sure this story will fit under the rating "R".  
  
Oh, another thing. Some of you who read this fic before may notice that I added a few extra elements to open a sequel for this awesome fic. Enjoy! :)  
  
  
Title: TIME TO END THE NIGHTMARE  
  
Author: Bleeding Wings  
  
Genre: Drama, Action/Adventure, Romance  
  
Rating: "R" For violence, adult language, adult content, nudity and sexual content.  
  
Summary: This is a fic taking place nearly a month after the end of Cowboy Bebop. Spike survived the wrath of Vicious, but something else besides Vicious' sword is eating him up from the inside. Will Spike ever be able to cope with his traumatic encounter with Vicious and the Red Dragon Clan?? This is my very first Cowboy Bebop fic. Buckle your seatbelts, Space Cowboy! It's gonna be a helluva ride! ^_^  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"How's he doing, doctor?"  
  
"Ms. Valentine, I must admit that your friend, Spike Spiegel, is a true fighter. Despite all the bullet wounds and a very deep cut through the stomach, he somehow pulled through! It has to be a miracle!"  
  
"Will we be able to see him soon, doctor?"  
  
"Of course you can, ma'am. We removed all the stitches from his bullet wounds and the staples from his stomach 3 days ago. It has been 3 weeks since you've admitted him here into this hospital. You know, it was very fortunate that you and your friend, Jet Black, brought him here so quickly. If you didn't bring him in any sooner, he'd definitely be a dead man. How did your friend end up that way?"  
  
"... it's best if you didn't know."  
  
After Faye finished talking to Spike's doctor, she walked back to the waiting lounge, where Jet was reading a magazine. When Faye sat next to Jet, her lovely eyes stared down at the floor. When Jet realized a slight moment of silence, he decided to speak up.  
  
"Hey, why the long face? I know it's been 3 weeks since we got Spike out of the Red Dragons stronghold and brought him here. You heard the doc: he's gonna be all right. I seriously doubt he has any physical damage. That lunkhead is as tough as iron," Jet said, turning to the next page.  
  
"I know, Jet. I know..." she said, with eyes still down to the floor.  
  
(It's not the PHYSICAL damage I'm worried about...) Faye thought to herself.  
  
  
--------------------  
  
  
Spike's eyes slowly opened, eyes revealing a white room with a nice television in front of him and a vase with lovely roses sitting on a desk nearby. Rather than be completely bandaged up like a mummy, Spike was in his patient's gown, lying sidewards in his bed. Spike realized that there was a card nicely snugged inside the roses. The card read "Better Get Well Soon, Gowljo."  
  
Spike recognized immediately who delivered the flowers to him. Gowljo. Faye called him that months ago when they first met at a casino. Gowljo, a bum who doesn't know which way is up.  
  
That suited him just fine. Rather than open the card, Spike turned away from the roses and faced the other way, keeping the warm covers on and having his eyes stare blankly at the wall. Spike heard footsteps entering his room, but he didn't bother to get up from bed and turn his attention to them.  
  
"Hey, Spike! Looks like fate doesn't have a thing on you! You destined to die: what a bunch of bullshit! Feelin' any better?" Jet asked with heart. Spike didn't say a single word as he still kept his back to his comrades when he lied there in his bed.  
  
"What's up, Spike? You should be happy you're still alive. It's not as though you lost anything valuable-" Faye elbowed Jet right in the stomach. Jet lost breath from Faye's interruption and immediately shut his mouth, realizing what he just said.  
  
"... is he dead?" That question Spike brought up hit Jet and Faye like a runaway truck. They knew immediately who Spike was asking about. A slightly long moment of silence blanketed over the room after that question was brought up. Faye finally decided to break the silence.  
  
"Yes. Vicious is dead, Spike. He's dead," Faye said. She hoped that the answer would finally have Spike turn over, set his attention on his friends and crack a smile.  
  
Spike remained motionless.   
  
(... that lucky bastard...) Spike thought to himself.  
  
"How did you know where to find me?" Spike asked. He didn't ask them with an easygoing tone like he usually uses. He asked them with force, almost sounding as though their rescue was uncalled for.  
  
"Spike, Jet planted a homing device on you right before you left the Bebop. When he activated the homing beacon, we were able to home in on where you exactly were. We found you lying there motionless on the stairs! We crashed through the glass ceiling with Jet's Hammerhead and bailed you out of there. We... we thought you were dead," Faye said, still shakened from how Spike had a brush with death. Faye bit the bottom of her lip when she remembered how she and Jet carried their unconscious comrade into the Hammerhead while she kept the Red Dragons at bay with her blaster.  
  
"... you should have left me for dead out there..." Spike whispered to himself, remembering how Vicious cut him open like a piece of meat.  
  
"What did you say, Spike?" Faye asked nicely. Spike quickly took the covers off and jumped right out of bed. He took off his gown, tossed it to the bed and searched through his closet to get his clothes. Faye quickly turned away from the naked bounty hunter, letting out a light blush when she took a good look at his ass.  
  
"It's nothing. Let's get out of here. We got more woolongs to collect. You know how much debt we're in already," Spike stated, sliding into his pants.  
  
"My thoughts exactly, Spike," Jet said, smiling to Spike's full recovery.  
  
  
----------------------------  
  
  
Onboard the Bebop, Faye and Jet were just done having their favorite dinner: Bellpeppers and Beef. Only this time, there really was beef in the meal. When Faye left her seat, Jet was left to clean the dishes.  
  
"Hey, Jet. Your Bellpeppers and Beef was pure A-quality! What did you add to your speciality?" Faye asked.  
  
"Sorry, Faye, but I can't tell you that. It's my secret recipe, passed down from father to son, God bless his soul," Jet said.  
  
"So what's the secret recipe?" Faye asked.  
  
"Well, if I told ya, it wouldn't be a secret anymore now, would it?" Jet asked. When Faye looked at the table again, something on it made her feel a bit of heaviness in her heart.  
  
It was a plate full of Bellpeppers and Beef, the biggest plate meant for Spike.   
  
"Where's that lunkhead? I can't believe he let his meal get cold like that. It's one of his most favorite," Faye said.  
  
"If I were psychic, then I'd know where he is. Fortunately, I'm not. Just look around, Faye. The ship ain't that big," Jet said, washing the next dish. Faye left the kitchen and searched through the halls of the Bebop. When she entered the main lounge, she finally spotted Spike leaning against the tough glass window with his left hand and staring out at the stars. Keeping his right hand in his pocket, Spike slowly let his head hang down.  
  
"There you are, gowljo. It's been a half hour since Jet called dinner-time. Why didn't you come over and have dinner with us?" Faye asked. Spike didn't answer, acting as though Faye wasn't in the same room with him. Spike continued to lean his hand against the glass window, watching the stars stretch from the speed of the Bebop.  
  
"... If only your star didn't fade away. It's all my fault..." Spike whispered to himself.  
  
".... Spike? What's the matter?" Faye asked, taking a few steps closer to her comrade. Quickly, Spike wiped his eyes with his sleeve and walked away from the enormous, thick glass window.   
  
"Man, I'm starvin'! What are we having, Faye?" Spike asked in a carefree way, raising his arms up in the air and stretching his whole body.  
  
"There's Bellpeppers and Beef, Spike," Faye answered.  
  
"Great! Gotta stay in shape, ya know?" Spike said. Spike slipped right by Faye and headed right for the kitchen. There was something Faye spotted on Spike's face when he passed by, and what she saw made her heart almost as heavy as lead. It was a long streak on Spike's cheek, and it shined against the light.  
  
It was a tear.  
  
"Something's wrong... something's very seriously wrong with him. He's not the same lunkhead I love to mess with. Oh, Spike..." Faye whispered to herself.  
  
  
  
  
... to be continued. 


	2. Old Wounds Still Opened

On planet Mars, the Bebop trio were sitting at a nice table in one of the best restaurants in the galaxy: Bloody Mary's Tavern. Of all the tables to choose from, they decided to sit at the one next to the glass window near the entrance. All 3 of them were wearing their sunglasses while looking through the menus. The lovely lights from the ceiling shined with vigor while the pianist played a lovely tune with his black piano. The sun cracked through the clouds and shined through the window, looking as though the stairways to Heaven have opened. None of the Bebop members minded at all the rays of the sun.  
  
"Hey, guys! I'd love to try this out: French Dip! A roast beef sandwich with crunchy, buttered bread, along with sauce that you can dip the sandwich in. With a side-order of french fries and a large soda," Faye said, feeling her mouth water. Spike didn't seem too thrilled about Faye's choice.  
  
"I'll pass on that one, Faye. I want to order a good ol'fashioned Bacon Cheeseburger combo. Medium well, with melted cheddar cheese and a slice of swiss, along with crunchy bacon you'd love to sink your teeth into! Along with net-shaped fries that you can dip into a bowl of melted cheese-"  
  
"WILL YOU QUIT IT, YOU TWO?? YOU'RE TORTURING ME HERE! We didn't come her to order lunch," Jet said. Spike and Faye lowered their heads in disappointment.  
  
"Okay, guys. You know the plan. Our next bounty will rendezvous right here in about a few minutes. Thanks to my plan, I fooled him into believeing that we're gonna be handing him 100 pounds worth of Bloody Eye." Jet kept his black sack nearby his feet, having it unzipped.  
  
"Hey, Jet. Just to be sure, what does he look like?" Spike asked.  
  
"Yeah, and how much woolongs is he worth?" Faye asked.  
  
Jet let out a sigh.  
  
"Oh, man. Okay, one last time. His name is Jagged Edge. He's been known to be one of the best hit-men throughout the Solar System. Every victim of his either turned out to be sliced to pieces or had his/her insides ripped out. Here's the weird part: he never used a knife on his victims."  
  
Faye felt a chill run through her skin when she pictured Jagged Edge's victims dying the way Jet described it. Spike remained unmoved, looking as though Jagged Edge doesn't have a thing on the black-haired cowboy.  
  
"You can tell who he is through his left dead eye, colorless in the iris. And he also has a deep, vertical scar on his right cheek. It's gonna be very difficult to keep him alive while bringing him down, knowing that he's gonna do anything possible to kill whoever gets in his way. And you'd better be VERY careful in keeping him alive: that dude's worth 50 million woolongs," Jet added.  
  
All Spike and Faye could do was stare at Jet.  
  
"... did you say 50 million??" Faye asked, tilting her sunglasses down.  
  
Jet, wearing a smile and folding his arms across his chest, nodded his head.  
  
"That's right, Faye. With that much woolongs, we'll have enough to keep the Bebop running, and more," Jet said, feeling proud of his plans. Spike cleared his throat.  
  
"Uh, Jet? Are you sure there's a comma after the number 50??" Spike asked. Jet let out a quiet growl at Spike and gripped his menu, remembering that bumbling they made when they hunted for Edward's father a short while ago. Remembering that Ed's father was worth 50, not 50,000,000, made him blush a bit out of embarrassment.  
  
"Yes, Spike. There's a comma after the number 50, and there are a lot of zeroes after that comma," Jet managed to say without strangling Spike. Faye let out a light giggle, enjoying how Spike was pissing Jet off. Hearing that giggle put a light smile on Spike's face when he looked into Faye's green eyes.  
  
Spike heard some cawing sounds through an open window, which was coming from across the street. When Spike got a good look at where the sound came from with his mechanical right eye, he saw a group of crows standing on a rooftop. Seeing the crows together made the entire world turn grey before his very eyes. When he watched the crows fly and caw away, Spike's jaw trembled, and his hands started to go numb. Suddenly, Spike's breathing started to go out of rhythm. He looked down at the table, and he dropped his menu.  
  
"Spike? Spike, what's the matter?" Jet asked, raising a brow.  
  
"I'm... I'm.... fine," Spike whispered slowly. However, his appearance said otherwise. When he hunched lower, his shaky breathing worsened, his eyes shut really hard and his body started to tremble. Spike clutched onto his head, grinding his teeth.  
  
"Noooo.... not again... MAKE IT STOP!" Spike shouted, remembering the flapping of the crows' wings. Immediately, Faye jumped out of her seat and grabbed a glass of water from a nearby waiter. Faye quickly brought the water to Spike's mouth.  
  
"Here, Spike! Drink this," Faye said. Faye gently tilted Spike's head back by his chin and tilted the glass. When Spike felt the water brush into his mouth, Spike quickly started to gulp the water down. His body began to stop trembling, and his breathing through his nostrils stabilized. Spike took the glass into his own hands, letting Faye know that he had things under control. However, Faye refused to leave his side. When he finished his water, he let out a sigh of relief and slowly opened his eyes. Faye sat closer to Spike and rested her left hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Spike, maybe you should sit out on this. And it's not the woolongs I'm worried about," Faye whispered in Spike's ear.  
  
"Yeah, maybe Faye's right. You still look shaky after you got out of the hospital two weeks ago," Jet said quietly. Spike shook his head.  
  
"I can't do that, guys. We're dealing with a professional killer here! If things get out of hand, you're definitely gonna need to lean on my back. And if I sit out on this, it won't be the hospital you two will be heading for. It'll be the morgue..." Spike whispered, hoping none of the other people nearby were listening in on their conversation.  
  
A slight moment of silence poured on the trio. Jet and Faye gave each other an uneasy glance, knowing that despite Spike's behavior, he was right. Jagged Edge was one of the meanest brutal killers in the galaxy, and they need Spike to keep them alive.  
  
When Jet saw someone at the corner of his eye, his eyes widened.  
  
"He's here," Jet stated quietly. As fast as the eye can blink, Spike, Jet and Faye resumed their positions. Heading their way was a blonde man, with a deep scar on his right cheek and a left dead eye. Wearing a pair blue jeans and black jean jacket, the man was towering, standing over 6' 6" His muscular build was even greater than Jet's. In his left hand was a case of 10 million woolongs. Seeing who he was suppose to meet, he quietly took an empty seat and sat with the others. He wore a crooked smile when he faced the man with the iron arm.  
  
"You got the goods?" Jagged Edge asked quietly, laying the case next to his left leg. His very voice made Faye's skin crawl.  
  
"Just push the money over to me, and I'll push my sack of Bloody Eye over to you," Jet said quietly.  
  
"Hey, who are those two?" Jagged Edge asked, eyeing Spike and Faye suspiciously.  
  
"Don't worry. They're my secret service, just in case things get dicey," Jet said. Jagged Edge slowly pushed the money over to Jet with his right boot. When the money was right under Jet's feet, Jet reached for the sack. In a flash, Jet pulled out a shotgun and pointed it right at Jagged Edge's face. Soon after Jagged Edge let out a gasp and jumped out of his seat, Spike and Faye whipped out their guns and pointed their life-enders right at Jagged's heart. The three got out of their seats and surrounded Jagged Edge, leaving him no room to breathe.  
  
"Edge, my boy, you have no idea how glad we are to meet ya. If you come with us quietly, you won't get hurt," Jet said, wearing a wide grin. Jagged Edge let out a silent swear. Spike saw a lot of people nearby growing uneasy from the incident.  
  
"Shit, Jet, why did we have to meet Jagged Edge here?? A lot of people could get hurt, or worse," Faye said.  
  
"Hey, it wasn't my idea! Edge always has a love for French Dip," Jet said.  
  
"No need to worry, folks. Just resume eating your meals and pretend we're not here," Spike announced, keeping his gun pointed right at Edge. Slowly, Jagged Edge formed a smile, a really mean one. In a flash, bright metal tore right through the skin of his hands. His hands transformed from normal hands to enormous, metallic, razor-sharp talons! Every finger and thumb was good enough to tear right through a tank! As quick as the eye can blink, Jagged Edge sliced away all of the guns Jet, Spike and Faye were holding.  
  
Jet's smile faded away.  
  
"....oooooookay... this is definitely not going well with the plan..." Jet said.  
  
"Uh... does anybody know Plan B?" Spike asked.  
  
"Yeah, I got a plan for ya, ya friggin' bunch of bounty hunters! SHI NE!!!!" Letting out a wicked laugh, Jagged Edge jumped for his nearest victim: Faye. Feeling as fast as the wind, Jagged Edge raised his razor-sharp claws high in the air, ready to slice Faye's skull from the top of her skull.  
  
"UH.... I'M OPEN FOR PLAN C!!!" Faye shouted.  
  
  
  
.... to be continued 


	3. Gotta Tear That Wound Wider

Faye dodged the incoming claws, watching a few strands of her hair get cut away. With good agility, Faye hopped away from Jagged Edge, but the monstrous killer pursued. Faye toppled a large table towards Edge, but Jagged Edge easily sliced and diced the table to splinters and headed for his prey. Faye tripped over a piece of the table and landed right on her ass, ready for the taking.  
  
"FAYE!!" Spike screamed.  
  
When Edge was about to lunge for Faye, Spike leaped right in and threw a powerful, right roundhouse kick right into Edge's gut, knocking the breath out of him. The Bruce Lee fanatic stood between Faye and the assassin, looking like a ferocious tiger protecting his mate from a rabid beast.  
  
"Why don't you tangle with me?" Spike asked. Jagged Edge chuckled to himself.  
  
"Hey, I know you. You're the nutcase who brought down the Red Dragon Clan, not to mention Mad Pierrot. You're either one badass motherf#*&@er or the luckiest son of a bitch in the entire galaxy. Which one are ya?" Jagged Edge asked.  
  
"... why don't you find out for yourself?" Spike asked. Without hesitating, Edge ran towards Spike and slashed for Spike's face, hoping to rip Spike's face off. Spike dodged it with finesse, keeping his footwork well-polished. Edge slashed downward towards Spike's chest, but Spike sidestepped to the left and easily slapped Edge's claws away. Spike followed with a two quick right roundhouse kicks to the head, a series of punches to the ribs, and left palm-heel strike to Edge's chin. The powerful heel strike knocked him away from Faye.  
  
"Faye, are you all right?" Spike quickly asked, keeping his fists up towards the downed Edge. That very question stunned the bejesus out of her.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine. The only thing that got hurt is my pride," Faye said, shaking the splinters of wood off her. Spike helped Faye up from the rubble and checked if she got injured in any way.  
  
"HEY, YOU TWO! A LITTLE HELP HERE!" Jet shouted. What Spike and Faye saw to their side was Jet Black giving Jagged Edge a good full-nelson hold, in which Jet wrapped his arms under Edge's armpits and locked his hands together behind Edge's head. Jet felt his shoulder muscles and his metal-arm transistors straining from the hold, feeling Edge's strength rivaling his own.  
  
"I don't know how much longer I can hold him. Knock out this freakin' hulk, will ya?" Jet asked. Wasting no time, Spike and Faye headed right for the trapped Jagged Edge and went all out. Faye delivered a powerful roundhouse kick to Edge's ribs, good enough to shatter bones. After Faye was done, Spike threw a vicious right hook into Edge's skull.  
  
Feeling annoyed by the cowboys, Edge used Jet's full-nelson hold, lifted both his legs off the ground and delivered a pair of heel kicks to Spike's and Faye's chins. After watching both cowboys hit the ground, Edge bent his head down rammed Jet's face with the back of his own skull. Jet released Edge and felt his back hit the ground really hard, groaning and weakly rubbing his forehead.  
  
Edge smiled to himself as he saw the Bebop trio at his mercy. Jet and Faye were out cold, looking as though they bought a one-way ticket to slumberland. As for Spike, he weakly turned over and rubbed his head to shake off the dizziness. With a crooked smile, Jagged Edge stomped his way to Faye and kneeled down to the unconscious cowboy.  
  
"Hey there, pretty girl. While you sleep, I don't think you'd mind if I do you right here. You look so damn tasty, I just got to have you..." Kneeling down to the unconscious Faye, Edge licked his lips viciously, looking as though he was about have dessert. Jagged Edge brought one claw to Faye's cleavage and began to cut her shirt off. With a mean grin, Edge yearned to watch her breasts pop out of her skimpy outfit. Faye's eyes slowly began to open.  
  
"... no... stop..." Faye whispered weakly. Her pleads only made Edge chuckle to himself. Licking the top of his lips, Edge ripped Faye's shirt right off. When Faye tried to push Edge away, he straddled on Faye and pinned her wrists to the floor. Edge let out a breath of lust when he got a good look at Faye's breasts. A tear streamed down Faye's eye when she smelled the stench of his breath.  
  
"GET AWAY FROM HER, YOU SICK BASTARD!" Spike tackled Jagged Edge off of Faye and rammed him right through the window. People outside felt their hearts jump and ran away when they watched Spike and Edge crash right out of the restaurant, fearing their lives could be at risk. Feeling the rage boil from within, Spike straddled on Edge and rammed his right fist into Edge's jaw. Spike watched the blood fly out of Edge's jaw from the impact, but it wasn't enough for the space cowboy. Spike threw a left fist, and a right, and a left, and another right. Many of the innocent bystanders were watching, but none dared to interfere.  
  
With eyes of rage, Spike lifted Jagged Edge's head off the sidewalk by the hair and raised his right fist. A tear streamed down his face when he growled with rage.  
  
"I SWEAR..."  
  
Spike rammed his fist into Edge's nose.  
  
"... IF YOU EVER..."  
  
He rammed it into Edge's face again.  
  
"... PUT YOUR FILTHY HANDS ON HER..."  
  
He smashed his nose again, breaking it.  
  
"...I WILL HUNT YOU DOWN LIKE A DOG!!"  
  
Still in the rage, Spike continued to beat Edge's skull to a pulp. All Edge could do was twitch a finger.  
  
"YOU WILL NEVER HURT HER! NEVER!!"  
  
~~slam~~  
  
"NEVER!!"  
  
~~slam~~  
  
"NEVER!!"  
  
~~slam~~  
  
"NEVER!!"  
  
~~slam~~  
  
"SPIKE, THAT'S ENOUGH! YOU'RE KILLING HIM!!" Jet shouted.  
  
Jet and Faye pulled Spike right off of the bloodied Jagged Edge. The gambler and the mastermind each held onto Spike's arms, hoping the martial arts cowboy won't blow their bounty away. Wearing her red sweater, Faye had a harder time restraining Spike than Jet was. As for Jet, his problem wasn't Spike's strength but his stubbornness. Spike has provened he was twice as stubborn as a bronco.  
  
"Spike, it's okay! He can't hurt us anymore. It's over..." Faye said.  
  
When Spike heard Faye's words, his raged slowly died down. Letting out a sigh of relief, Spike closed his eyes and let his head droop while Jet and Faye still held onto him.  
  
"It's never over...." Spike whispered to himself.  
  
  
------------------------  
  
  
"OH YEAH! Nothing makes me feel more alive than having 50,000,000 woolings in our pockets!" Jet said. Jet, Faye and Spike walked out of the Mars Police Department after they got the reward money into the Bebop's account. Faye and Jet were side by side, smiling about their achievement and happy Spike didn't sit out on the plan when given the opportunity. Spike was a few feet behind the two, eyes down to the sidewalk and hands in his pockets.  
  
"I know what I'm gonna do with all those woolongs! There's gonna be a major horse race on Saturn, and my favorite race-horse is gonna be there! Let's bet all the woolongs on my horse and triple the amount!" Faye said.  
  
"No chance, Faye. I'm the one who masterminded the plan, and I'M the one who discovered Jagged Edge as being a gold mine for us! We're gonna use that money to do some major upgrading for the Bebop! Gun turrets, new armor, new weapons for our fighter ships, the works!" Jet stated.  
  
"It's true you're the one who masterminded his arrest, but it was Spike that brought him down," Faye said, smiling to herself. Jet let out a chuckle.  
  
"You got a point there, Faye," Jet said. With a bewildered look, Jet took a look at Spike. Then he set his eyes on Faye.  
  
"Is something wrong with Spike? He's been unusually quiet ever since we sent Jagged Edge to the authorities," Jet said.  
  
"I... I don't know, Jet. A few days earlier, I actually saw Spike cry," Faye whispered, feeling her soul being as heavy as lead from thinking about that moment.  
  
"He WHAT?!" Jet asked.  
  
"Yeah, it's true. Ever since we rescued Spike, I could sense that something is eating him up. It's almost as though he's a totally different person now," Faye said.  
  
"Well, let's try to loosen him up a bit," Jet said. Jet cleared his throat.  
  
"Hey, Spike! What do think we should do with all that money we earned?" Jet asked.  
  
With a solemn look on his face, Spike kept his head hanging down and his hands in his pockets.  
  
"Spike? Jet asked you a question. You in dreamland?" Faye asked, turning her attention to the Bruce Lee fanatic. Suddenly, Spike stopped at his tracks.  
  
"... I'm not in a dream. None of this is a dream at all. It's all for real... all of it..."  
  
Puzzled from what Spike said, Jet and Faye stopped walking and faced him.  
  
"What are you talking about, man? You're not making any sense," Jet said. Feeling weak in the legs, Spike took a seat at an empty bench nearby. Spike let his shoulders slump and kept his eyes hidden in the shadows when he rested his elbows on his knees.  
  
"... how... how could I have been so damn stupid?"  
  
A tear dripped out of Spike's left eye and splattered on the sidewalk.  
  
Feeling the emptiness building in, Spike rested his head on his left hand and let another tear drip on the sidewalk. Taken off-guard by Spike's behavior, Faye sat next to Spike and gently rubbed his shoulders with her soft hands.  
  
"Most of my life, I believed that I was living in a nightmare, a world with nothing but chaos. I believed it was all just a play, and I was a mere character. I finally realized that... this is all for real when I took on Vicious and the Red Dragons... when Faye was being violated.... when...."  
  
More tears streamed down Spike's face when a vision appeared in his left eye. Through his eye, Spike saw himself on the rooftops, hold a dying woman in his arms when the rain poured down like crazy. Spike started to lose feeling in his hands. Spike lifted his head and set his eyes on the very rooftop where the darkest moment occurred.  
  
"... when Julia died in my arms." Feeling the anguish consuming him like a rabid monster, Spike bit down on his lower lip, let the shadows consume his eyes and quietly sobbed. Spike could feel some of his tears stream down his cheeks and get the collar of his shirt a little wet. His fists resting on his lap clenched from the dark moment that could never leave him alone.  
  
Faye has never seen this side of Spike before: for the first time, Spike was actually in touch with his feelings. With a trembling jaw, Faye wrapped her arms around him and did her best to comfort him.  
  
"Shhhh.... it's okay, Gowljo... Just let it out..." Faye whispered. Continuing to sob quietly and not bothering to wipe the tears away, Spike gently held onto one of Faye's hands on his waist.  
  
"It was all my fault. I convinced her that all this was nothing more than a dream. That was why she died.  
  
"Oh, Julia... I'm so sorry... I'm so damn sorry..."  
  
Standing beside Spike, Jet felt his sorrow for his comrade taking a firm grip on him. Jet walked behind the bench and gently placed his cybernetic hand on Spike's shoulder.  
  
"It's all right, little brother. We'll help you get through this... everything will be all right..."  
  
  
  
***When the white female cat died... the tiger-striped cat cried a million times....***  
  
  
  
  
... to be continued. 


	4. What are you up to, Jet?

The gigantic ship known as the Bebop was floating peacefully in the orbit of Mars. Unfortunately, the sense of tranquility was not totally present among the Bebop gang. Despite earning the whopping 50 million woolong reward, Jet and Faye were still a little shaken from Spike's behavior. To Jet and Faye, that devil-may-care attitude Spike usually loves to carry seemed to be forever erased.  
  
Jet Black was trimming one of his bonsai trees in the main lounge of the Bebop. Rather than trim his little trees where he usually does it, Jet felt he needed more space to do his favorite hobby. Laying next to the bonsai tree was a pair of Thermo Sunglasses, a pair of shades used for tracking down a bounty's bodyheat. Jet wore a devious grin when he set his eyes on the glasses.  
  
"Hehehehe... man, I can't wait for Faye to try those on. Thanks to my major upgrade on that do-hickey, she's gonna get Spike out of the blues in a snap of a finger," Jet said to himself. Jet heard the circular, iron door open. Who he saw was Faye come right in with more shopping bags.  
  
"Damnit, Faye! What the hell did you buy this time?" Jet asked.  
  
"Believe it or not, Jet, this stuff is for Spike," Faye said, laying her bags on the couch. This caused Jet to raise a brow.  
  
"You actually bought something for someone else besides yourself?!" Jet asked.  
  
"Well, why not? Spike needs some cheering up, so I decided to buy him some stuff he would go crazy for," Faye said. Searching through one of the bags, Faye took out a large book.  
  
"Here's one: 'The Tao of Jeet Kune Do.' Spike was dying to own this book. You know how much of a fan he is for Bruce Lee," Faye said. Jet got up and took a look through another bag.  
  
"Black-steel nunckukus, a pair of sickle 'n chains, extendable bo staff, a pair of handcuffs-"  
  
Faye let out a gasp and snatched her stuff away from Jet.  
  
"KEEP IT DOWN, WILL YA? I don't want you to spoil Spike's surprise," Faye said.  
  
"Geez, sorry," Jet said. Jet cleared his throat.  
  
"Uh... why did you buy Spike a pair of handcuffs?" Jet asked. Faye's face started to blush a bit.  
  
"I... I have my reasons," Faye said quietly. Jet decided to make the conversation take a more serious path.  
  
"You two have been acting pretty strange after we got Spike out of that hospital. You're acting as though you have feelings for Spike. And Spike... well, he's actually acting as though he has feelings. What's going on?" Jet asked.  
  
A moment of silence blanketed the main lounge right after Jet asked that question. Weakly holding onto her left arm, Faye let out a sigh.  
  
"Jet... when I met Spike for the first time, I thought he was the cutest guy I've ever seen. Later on, when I became part of the Bebop, he was impulsive, rude, loud and incompassionate! He didn't care about anybody but himself!" Faye said, remembering how Spike uncaringly blew away one of Vicious' guards holding Faye hostage while the guard still held Faye close to him.  
  
"...All that changed when Spike saved me from being raped at Bloody Mary's Tavern. The way he beat Jagged Edge to a bloody pulp, what he said to Edge when he was pounding him away.  
  
"Spike was actually being human. Jet, it's easy to be incompassionate to an incompassionate man, but Spike just isn't that way anymore," Faye said.  
  
"I see. That kind of explains your behavior," Jet said. Jet snatched the new, improved Thermo Sunglasses.  
  
"Hey, Faye... why don't you try these on when you see him?" Jet asked, handing it to Faye. Faye took the sunglasses and put them on.  
  
"What for, Jet? It'll just show his bodyheat level, that's all," Faye said.  
  
"When you see Spike, just set the setting to Level 4," Jet said, wearing a sly grin.  
  
"Level 4? I thought this thing only has 3 levels," Faye said.  
  
"Well, I just added a new level to that baby today. I gave it a test-run earlier at the busy streets of Dark City. The results were veeeeery pleasing..." Jet said, smiling to himself when he tested it on a number of lovely women. Seeing that grin made Faye's eye twitch.  
  
"What are you up to, Jet?" Faye asked suspiciously.  
  
"Oh, just give a try on Spike, will ya? Go on! Go for it!" Jet said. Faye's lips split to a grin.  
  
"Okay, old man. I'll go along with your game. Let's see what you're up to..." Taking her bags with her, Faye headed right for Spike's personal quarters. Feeling he achieved a major accomplishment, Jet smiled and sat comfortably in the couch.  
  
"Boy, I can't wait to see what happens, hehehehe. When you activate Level 4, Faye, you two are gonna bail out of the blues and boogie down to a whole new beat! Damn, am I good or am I good?"  
  
  
.... to be continued. 


	5. No More Cryin', Tiger Striped Cat

Wearing a white tank top and black sweatpants, Spike Spiegel was sweating like crazy as he continued to perfect the art of Jeet Kune Do in his personal quarters. Staying loose like a boxer and trying to keep his breathing steady, Spike was shadow-fighting for nearly 3 hours nonstop. Every punch and every kick thrown was never enough for Spike. He knew that no matter how powerful or how quick his strike was, he has to always stay hungry. At first, Spike was fighting one imaginary opponent. Now he was picturing six fighters surrounding him.  
  
//I'm the only one who can keep you alive... and I'm the only one who can kill you...//  
  
Through his left eye, he saw the gray image of the very man who told him those words, the man who licked Spike's blood off his great blade.  
  
Growling to himself and shaking the memory away, Spike grabbed a pair of garotte fighting sticks out of the slots on his sweatpants and began to twirl away. One stick blocked while the other stick did the attack, and sometimes Spike had his sticks switch roles. Spike twirled his sticks faster, imagining eight men surrounding him and beating them to a bloody pulp.  
  
Spike's world turned gray before his very eyes again. He saw himself at the top floor of the Red Dragons stronghold, listening to the Ballad of Fallen Angels while going one-on-one with Vicious. Spike shut his eyes from the dark moment when Vicious sparked up the floor with his incredible blade and sliced Spike's stomach wide open.  
  
//I'm the only one who can kill you and set you free...//  
  
"Damn you, LEAVE ME ALONE!" Spike shouted. When Spike tossed his fighting sticks away, he marched to his wooden dummy standing near a corner. Huffing heavily, the black-haired bounty hunter pounded away at the dummy, practicing in blocking its arms and simultaneously striking it. Spike struck the dummy harder and faster, hoping the past won't strangle him by the throat again. Spike concentrated not only on the pain in his knuckles, but also on the sound of his fists banging loudly into all that wood.  
  
Spike was taken away from reality once more. All in gray, as the rain poured heavily onto his clothes and through his hair, he held Julia in his arms. He felt her silky, blonde hair brush through his fingers as he tried his best to comfort her. He listened to her last words as her star was ready to fade away from the universe.  
  
//It's all a... a dream...//  
  
"That's not true... IT'S NOT!!" Spike shouted. Shutting his eyes and letting out a battle-cry, Spike smashed the wooden dummy in the head with a vicious side-kick and toppled the tall log over. Spike fell to his knees and rubbed his sore knuckles, breathing heavily from the hours of intense training he put himself through. Slowly, Spike opened his eyes, hoping he was back in the present.  
  
To his relief, he was back where he was suppose to be: in his personal quarters. Not side by side with Vicious when they were buddies, not at the Cathedral where he gunned down the Red Dragons and faked his death, not falling to the ground in front of the shocked Julia when bloodied up. Just right in the Bebop, where no painful moments could take shape.  
  
"Son of a bitch. No matter what I do, it never leaves me alone. Why? Why can't I put the past behind?" Spike asked himself. When Spike sat down on his bed, he grabbed a white towel on it and wiped away the sweat. He spotted a pack of cigarettes on his bed, ready to be finished in less than a day. With a blank look on his face, Spike picked it up and threw it into the trash.  
  
"Gotta quit those damn things. Not only is it a waste of woolongs, but it's also making me fight sluggishly. Can't afford to be careless like the last time," Spike told himself.  
  
Suddenly, Spike heard a knock on his door.  
  
"Who is it? I'm kinda busy," Spike called out loud.  
  
"Open up, ya fuzzyhead! It's me, Faye," she said. When Spike slid the door open, right in front of him was the lovely, lavinder-haired woman carrying a couple of shopping bags. Rather than look into her lovely green eyes, he saw her wearing a pair of Thermo sunglasses. Resting one hand on his hip, Spike raised a brow at her.  
  
"Look, Faye, I don't have any woolongs to lend to ya, okay? We split the 50 million woolong reward evenly between the three of us. What happened? Didn't wanna miss that President's Day Sale?" Spike asked.  
  
"No, silly. I bought these for you," Faye said, smiling lightly. Spike was lost of words from what Faye just told him. After a slight moment of silence, Spike cleared his throat.  
  
"That... that's very nice of you, Faye," Spike finally uttered. Having no need for Spike's permission, Faye walked right into his quarters and laid the bags on the floor. With that dumbfounded look on his face, Spike sat on the edge of his bed and scratched his head while he watched Faye look through the bags.  
  
"Faye, what's this all about? What's with the act?" Spike asked. Smiling to herself, Faye bent over to look through one of the bags to make sure she has everything for him.  
  
"This is for saving me from getting raped by that bastard, Jagged Edge. That caught me off-guard as it did for my would-be rapist. Think of this as a reward for your chivalry. Trust me when I say this: you're gonna like what I'm about to show you," Faye said, eager to show him Bruce Lee's journal, 'The Tao of Jeet Kune Do.'  
  
(I like what you're showing me already....) Spike thought to himself, wearing a crooked grin.  
  
Spike's wide eyes got a good look at her body while she still bent over and looked through the bags. Spike never really noticed until now how nicely curved Faye really was. To Spike, if Faye decided to pose nude for Playboy, she'd definitely be crowned Playmate Of The Year. When Faye stood up, Spike immediately turned to the side and let out a light blush.  
  
"Here ya go, Spike," Faye said. Spike saw the book, 'The Tao of Jeet Kune Do,' and never did he feel so happy in all his life.  
  
"AWRIGHT! I've been searching for this book for ages! His experiences, his teaching; it's all here!! I... I don't know what to say," Spike said, finding it hard to get his eyes off the cover of the book.  
  
"Uh, Spike?" Faye asked. When he heard Faye, Spike quickly set his attention to Faye's shaded eyes. When she sat next to Spike, she had a worried look on her face.  
  
"What's wrong, Faye?" Spike asked, placing his book down. Faye's eyes turned away from Spike's.  
  
"I heard you training in your personal quarters when I was walking down the halls. I can tell there's something upsetting you. Is it still coming back?" Faye asked. The meanest bounty hunter in the universe knew what she was asking about. Spike's eyes turned away from Faye's and lowered to the floor. Feeling a deep anguish, Spike rubbed his temples and let out a sigh.  
  
"It just never ends, Faye. I really envy you, you know that? You can look back to the past and return to the present any time you want. Not in my case, however. Ever since I lost right eye in an accident, the past comes and goes whenever it pleases.  
  
"But now, ever since my last encounter with Vicious and the Red Dragons, it's gotten worse. I use to see the past and the present as though they were one, thinking my very existence is just a fantasy. But when I lost Julia and had a brush with Death, I can't see the past the same way anymore. Now the past is a constant reminder of my past sins, a demon that constantly haunts me," Spike said. Faye shook her head, feeling Spike's pain.  
  
"I... I don't know what to say, Spike. I'm not like a psychiatrist and stuff. If you can't forget the past, then why not burn it away? Destroy it?"  
  
That made Spike raise a brow at Faye.  
  
"Burn it away?" Spike asked. Faye let out a chuckle.  
  
"Oh, never mind, Spike. I don't know what I'm saying. Just forget it."  
  
Suddenly, something came up to Faye's mind.  
  
"Oh, I almost forgot. You see, Jet told me to test this new level he just installed into this pair of Thermo sunglasses I'm wearing. Hey, uh, why don't you stand upright? I want to see what'll happen when I take a good look at you," Faye said.  
  
"Uh... sure," Spike said. Spike stood upright, feeling kinda silly. Standing six feet away from Spike, she set her focus on him and activated her Thermo sunglasses to Level 4.  
  
"Well, what do you notice, Faye? I mean, all it detects is bodyheat, right?" Spike asked, folding his arms. However, Spike didn't get any answer at all. All Faye did was stand there and stare at him, rubbing her left arm and feeling her face flush. A crooked smile began to form from her very lips.  
  
"... wow. So this is what you're like in your birthday suit. Me like. Me like a lot..." Faye said, flushing even harder.  
  
Spike finally realized what Level 4 does: X-Ray vision! Blushing like crazy, Spike covered his groin with his hands.  
  
"HEY, QUIT LOOKIN'!!" Spike shouted, blushing out of embarrassment. Flushing even harder, Faye covered her mouth and started to giggle.   
  
"Heeheehee... there's no way it could be naturally that big. What did you do? Take a serious dosage of Longitude?" Faye asked. Spike gasped, knowing that Longitude helps increase size of his... well, you know.  
  
"FOR YOUR INFORMATION, FAYE VALENTINE, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN THIS BIG! NOW QUIT LOOKIN' AT IT!!" Spike turned his back on Faye, hoping she couldn't see his manhood.  
  
"WHOO-HOOOO!! Nice ass, you sexy thing..." Faye said, licking her lips.   
  
"HEY!" Spike shouted, pulling the bottom of his tank top over his butt. Out of frustration, Spike faced Faye and started stomping towards her.  
  
"Give me those glasses," Spike demanded quietly.  
  
"No," Faye said, giggling a little harder. Spike took 3 steps towards her. Faye took 3 steps back.  
  
"I'm not gonna ask again, Faye..." Spike said slowly.  
  
".... no...." Faye responded teasingly. Quickly, Faye took her white, high-heel shoes off. Faye couldn't help stop giggling to herself, feeling like a high-school girl again. Faye walked backwards out of Spike's quarters, keeping her hungry eyes on him. Spike didn't leave any space for her to breathe.  
  
"OKAY, YOU ASK FOR IT!" Spike shouted. Faye let out a yelp and started running down the hallway, with Spike in hot pursuit.  
  
"WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU, I'M GONNA MAKE YOU BEG FOR MERCY ABOUT THAT LONGITUDE REMARK!" Spike shouted. That only made Faye laugh the whole way down.  
  
"OOOOHHH! SOMEBODY SAVE ME! THERE'S A NAKED GUY COMIN' AFTER ME! AND HIS HORMONES ARE OUT OF CONTROL!" Faye said with tease.  
  
"FAAAAAAAAAYYE!" Spike roared.  
  
  
----------  
  
  
Enjoying the peace and quiet, Jet Black was almost done with his bonsai tree in the main lounge. Jet rubbed his chin, wondering if it still needs a few snips here and there.  
  
"Hmmm... I think it looks as nice as the one from 'The Karate Kid.' Man, I wish I was as good as Mr. Miyagi. Maybe I'll trim that side just a little more," Jet said.  
  
When Jet was about to snip a small branch off, he heard a commotion coming down the hallway. The sound of running feet was getting louder, and louder.  
  
Out of nowhere, Faye leaped from the hallway entrance down a few steps to the main lounge. Spike, not far behind, leaped right down after her.  
  
"Hey, watch it, you two! You might break something!" Jet said, holding his bonsai tree like a baby. Faye and Spike were on opposite sides of the large table Jet was using. Smiling to herself, Faye used the table to keep herself and Spike separate.  
  
"What do you plan on doing to me, Spike?" Faye asked, wearing a sly grin.  
  
"....ooooooo, wouldn't you like to find out," Spike responded, wearing a grin of his own and wiggling his fingers as though he was about to draw guns. With his great agility, Spike leaped over the table and landed right behind Faye. Faye let out a huge screech and ran back to the hallway. Chuckling to himself, Spike was once again in hot pursuit.  
  
Jet was alone once more, just him and his bonsai tree. After seeing what happened, Jet folded his arms and let out a sigh of accomplishment.  
  
"Hmph. Just the way I planned it. That oughta get those two out of the dark clouds, especially in Spike's case. It's good to make them feel like kids again and get them out of this dark world for awhile. Right, Mr. Bonsai?" Jet asked his little tree.  
  
  
-----------------------------------  
  
  
Faye ran right back into Spike's personal quarters. Panting real hard, Faye tried her best to shut Spike's steel door in a blink of an eye. Right before she completely shut the door, Spike's hands grabbed onto the door and forced them open. No matter how hard Faye tried to shut the door, there was no way her strength could rival his.  
  
Feeling a flush in her face, she let go of the door and let Spike slide it wide open.  
  
"LUCY, I'M HOOOOOME!" Spike said sadistically. Faye playfully tried to run past Spike and out the door, but Spike caught her by the waist, hoisted her onto his left shoulder and carried her to his bed. By the time Spike bounced Faye onto the bed, Spike straddled on top of her and placed his hands on her waist.  
  
"... you wouldn't dare..." Faye said.  
  
Spike brushed his fingers into her waist and started to tickle her. Faye began to laugh out of control, squirming wildly underneath Spike.  
  
"Take it back, Faye! Take back what you said about my you-know-what!" Spike demanded, starting to laugh as well.  
  
"NEVER!" Faye shouted hysterically. Faye had no control over her laughing, since Spike found her most ticklish area. She laughed so hard, she almost felt she was gonna pee in her pants. Faye brought her hands up to Spike's armpits and started to tickle him back. Spike removed his hands and started laughing uncontrollably.  
  
Spike gently grabbed onto Faye's wrists and lightly pinned them over her head. As he lied down on her body, Spike and Faye panted heavily as they were nose-to-nose. Faye's smile faded away when she looked into Spike's eyes. Slowly, Faye felt her eyes begin to water.  
  
Spike saw a tear fall down Faye's eye as he felt her breath brush against his face. Realizing the position he was in and remembering that Edge pinned her the same way, he immediately took his hands off her wrists and sat up.  
  
"Faye, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pin you like that. I- "  
  
Spike's words were cut short by Faye's moist lips pressing into his. Feeling another tear streaming down her face, she removed her sunglasses, clutched onto Spike and continued to give him that soft kiss. Faye kissed him as though she was out in the desert for days, and Spike's very lips was the only oasis on Earth. Spike's heart leapt as he felt her lips and her incredible body press into his. Spike kissed her back, wrapping his rock-solid arms around Faye's delicate body. Faye reluctantly broke away from the kiss and embraced him, resting her chin on his broad shoulder.  
  
"Oh, Spike. I never had the courage to say how I feel about you! I thought I forever lost that chance when you went off and took on Vicious all by yourself. But now..."  
  
Spike's heart was pounding like never before as he felt Faye's breasts press into his broad chest. Never has Spike seen this side of Faye before. Spike felt something wonderful that he hasn't felt in a long time.  
  
Spike felt alive. Truly alive. And this time, the past won't take him by the throat.  
  
Spike and Faye kneeled on his bed and kissed on. Wanting more of Spike, she pried Spike's mouth open and let her tongue intertwine with his. Breathing heavily through her nostrils, Faye traced her hand down his rock-solid abs and began to untie the laces of Spike's jogging pants...  
  
  
  
.... to be continued.  
  
  
  
  
Hello, ladies and gents. I hope you're enjoying this fanfic so far. It was the "Spike X Faye Event" in chapter 6 that earned this fic the "NC-17" rating (a very beautiful work, in my opinion). You'll notice that the upcoming chapter will be quite cleaner; no heavily explicit stuff this time, I promise. I'll replace the explicit stuff with new content that will foreshadow perhaps the most action-packed, knock-your-teeth-out story like never before on fanfiction.net.  
  
Well, gotta go! Time to do some major editing. I'll seeya soon! 


	6. The Painful Path To End The Nightmare ha...

In the cockpit of the Bebop, Jet was watching the Gundam Fight on the holographic screen while munching on a small bowl of Doritos. On the screen, Burning Gundam was about to deliver a diving choke-slam to Gundam Rose.  
  
"OH YEAH! Slam the hell out of that red-head girly man, Domon!" Jet shouted. Soon Burning Gundam choke-slammed Gundam Rose through much of a mountain, the whole screen went totally static. Jet almost choked on his Doritos and felt steam boil out of his head.  
  
"HEEEYYY!! WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?!" Jet shouted. Seconds later, the screen gained full-focus, but instead of the Gundam Fight, there was a red-head girl with a wide grin on her face.  
  
"HIIIIIIII !!! Jet missed Edward, yeesssss??" Edward asked.  
  
"EDWARD! It's nice to see you again! How have ya been, kiddo?" Jet asked.  
  
"Edward and Ein are doing great! Since I'm not with father-person anymore, Ein and I opened our own repair shop! Business going fabulous!" Edward stated.  
  
"I'm glad you two are doing fine," Jet said.  
  
"I heard that Spike-person is alive and well! Edward so happy! Hey, Edward needs to deliver something to Spike after hearing he's alive. Strange pair of men came to Edward and said that if Edward see Spike-person, Edward should deliver this card to him. Who those men were and what this card is for, I have no idea," Edward said, holding a strange card in her hand and scratching her head.  
  
"Hey, Edward. To save a trip, why don't you use your hacking abilities and send the information on that card right here?" Jet asked. Edward let out a giggle.  
  
"Uh-uh-uhhhh. Edward and Ein have a better idea. We're going to teleport the card right to you," Edward said, wearing a big smile. Edward placed the card on the teleportation device.  
  
"Ein, set coordinates to the Bebop!" Edward commanded. Ein barked and pressed the coordinates.  
  
"ENERGIZE!" Edward stated. After pressing the button, Edward magically teleported the card to Jet's lap.  
  
"... you and Ein never cease to amaze me," Jet stated.  
  
"Uh-oh. Time for Ein and I to get back to work. We have to help yet another customer. Don't be a stranger!" Edward said. After waving goodbye, Edward pressed the button and ended transmission.  
  
Jet picked up the card and flipped it over. What Jet saw turned his stomach inside-out. The card had two fiery halves of Yin and Yang. One half, the tiger. The other half, the dragon. In the center of Yin and Yang was the Grim Reaper.  
  
"... An invitation to the.... my gosh. This... this can't be happening. Why Spike? Why HIM???"  
  
  
----------------  
  
Three hours passed. Spike and Faye lied down naked under the covers. The lovers felt their very souls touched by a gentle warmth from within as they lied on their sides, clutched onto each other and gazed into each other's eyes.  
  
"... wow. I must say, Spike, that I never expected it to last THIS long! I... I can't believe how much energy you still have! You really know how to satisfy a woman," Faye said slyly. The very enticing scent of the woman put a wicked smile on Spike's face.  
  
"Hey, what can I say? I'm a Jack of All Trades," Spike said, raising his brows at her. Faye let out a giggle and quickly threw off their blanket.  
  
"Mmmm... I think it's my turn to be on top..." Faye said. Faye had Spike lie on his back, slithered to Spike's stomach and slowly traced her tongue all around Spike's belly-button. Spike let out a quick breath and arched his back. Faye slowly slithered her tongue upward, going up the center of his chest, up his chin, and into his mouth. Spike's heart raced like mad as he clutched onto his beloved and let his tongue swirl all around hers.  
  
The door to his quarters slowly slid open. A man in black quietly stepped inside, watching Spike and Faye sharing one another. He wore a wicked grin as he ran his hand through his white hair and drew out his bloodthirsty blade.  
  
When Spike opened his eyes, he saw Vicious wear a wild grin and let his blade glimmer from the light.  
  
"OH MY GOSH! FAYE, LOOK OUT-" Vicious quickly yanked Faye's head back by the hair and plunged the sword right through her heart, letting the tip of his blade stick out of her chest. Vicious threw Faye's body aside and set his eyes on his bloodsoaked prey, whose eyes froze on Vicious' very presence. With wicked eyes, Vicious pointed the tip of his blade right between Spike's eyes.  
  
"At last, I found the beast. Spike... this is FAR from over...." Vicious raised his great blade and was prepared to take Spike's head.  
  
"STAY AWAY FROM ME! YOU'RE NOT REAL! YOU'RE NO-"  
  
  
-----------------  
  
  
Spike quickly woke up, sweating like crazy and doing his best to calm his breathing.   
He wildly looked all around, feeling that Vicious was really inside his quarters and ready to finish him and Faye off. Everything was the way it was. No blood on his face, no sign of Vicious, no dead woman. Faye was still asleep, smiling to herself as she pulled more of the blanket to her side. Feeling his breathing and his heartbeat return to normal, Spike slowly lied on his back and covered his eyes with his hand.  
  
"Son of a bitch. Even in my dreams, the past comes after me. There's no telling what other part of the past will come for me! Was that a dream or..."   
  
Spike felt a chill rush through his body.  
  
"... a prophecy?"  
  
Suddenly, Faye's words popped right into Spike's head.  
  
//"If you can't forget the past, then why not burn it away? Destroy it?//"  
  
Faye's question quickly stuck to Spike's mind. After minutes of staring up the ceiling, Spike slowly took the covers off. Spike gently placed the covers back on Faye and put his clothes back on. Spike quietly stepped out of his bedroom and headed for the cockpit of the ship.  
  
"Now I know what I have to do. Faye... please understand that I must do this. It's the only way to end the nightmare..."  
  
  
  
... to be continued. 


	7. Time for some Tough Love

In the cockpit of the Bebop, Jet Black was running a full check on all the controls of the ship. So far, Jet hasn't found anything wrong with the Bebop, ranging from the air-conditioner to the main engines. Learning that the entire ship was running smoothly, Jet sat back in his seat and relaxed.  
  
"Maybe it's time for the Bebop to take a jumpgate to the other side of the Asteroid Belt. Doesn't hurt to have a little R&R at Blue Haven. Heard it's the greatest entertainment satellite in the galaxy," Jet said to himself. Jet remembered how hard Jagged Edge smashed his face with his own head, and the thought of having a beautiful chiropractor loosen him up at Blue Heaven made him yearn to go there even more. Not only can Jet finally get a vacation from all the bounty-hunting, but he'll also have more privacy from the lovebirds. When he was about to turn on the television screen to check out the new-and-improved 'Big Shots', he heard someone knocking on the door to the cockpit. After opening the door, he saw Spike right in front of him, wearing pair of black sweatpants and a white tank top.  
  
"Spike. What are you doing up at this time of night?" Jet asked.  
  
"I... I couldn't sleep. I thought that sitting in the cockpit and watching the stars could help me knock myself out," Spike said.  
  
"Ya know, Spike? I can't really shake off how you became so damn protective for Faye. I remember how you were pummeling Edge nearly to death when you saw him violating her. That doesn't really fit your profile, Spike," Jet said. That made Spike's eyes look down to the floor. Spike took a seat.  
  
"Jet ... when I saw Faye get pinned down by Jagged Edge, it triggered a past that I tried so damn hard to leave behind. But it flashed right before my eye, all in gray. Someone I loved so much was pinned the same way Faye was, and I was helpless to do anything about it," Spike said, biting down on the bottom of his lip.  
  
"Was it Julia? Damn, she must have meant much more to you than I thought," Jet said. Spike shook his head.  
  
"No. It wasn't Julia. She wasn't as strong as Julia, and I wasn't strong enough to save her life."  
  
Spike rubbed his temples and shook his head.  
  
"It was my mother. I was only 8 years old when a man broke into our home, raped my mother and murdered her. I tried so hard to fight him, but he knocked me out and locked me in the basement. There was no way my father could protect us; he was still in the middle of busting a drug-dealing syndicate in Dark City with his SWAT Team. When I finally broke the lock and knocked the door down, I was too late. I found her stripped naked, lying in a puddle of blood with five bullet holes in her body. The ambulance arrived soon after I called 911, but she was declared D.O.A. It was the most horrible memory that I tried so hard to forget, but it slammed right into my face when we were at Bloody Mary's Tavern over 2 weeks ago," Spike said. Spike looked blankly out the window, watching the stars.  
  
"I... I didn't know that happened when you were a kid, Spike. I'm... I'm sorry," Jet said slowly, lowering his eyes.  
  
"I lost my mother... I lost Julia... but there was no way in Hell I was gonna lose Faye!" Spike said.  
  
(Son of a bitch. He's changed so much...) Jet thought.  
  
"Somehow, that brush with Death seem to have given you a major wake-up call. Maybe when that seer said that Death was coming for you, it didn't come to take your soul. Instead, it helped you learn that you have more to live for."  
  
Jet's words put a crooked smile on Spike's face.  
  
"What are you, a freakin' philosopher? What else do you think Death was teaching me?"  
  
"I think Death taught you that you're a human being, not just some character of a fairy tale. Spike, you have to live. You can't keep looking Death in the eye and wear a grin. Someday, Spike, you're going to blink, and there may be no coming back," Jet said.  
  
A moment of silence filled the cockpit. Spike finally spoke up.  
  
"I want to live, Jet. I really do. But how the hell can I live a life when the past keeps coming back to me?" Spike asked.  
  
"Spike, you have to learn not to look back. My grandparents taught me that when the past is darker than night, it has no worth of whatsoever. You have to put the past behind, for if you don't, you'll turn into a pillar of salt," Jet said.  
  
"You don't get it, Jet. I know what that's like; I've felt like a pillar of salt every day! I can't leave the past behind because the past can't leave me! It's as though the past has a life of its own, a devil that constantly torments me everywhere I go! I... I have no way to control it," Spike said.  
  
Another uneasy moment of silence filled the cockpit. This time, it was Jet's turn to break the silence.  
  
"Spike, why are you really here? You need something; I can tell in your eyes. What did you really come here for?" Jet asked. With a face of stone, Spike said:  
  
"I need the cigarette burner." Spike's request put a huge question mark over Jet's head.  
  
"That's it? The little hot knob near the radio?? If you need to smoke, then why waste your time coming here? Just use your lighter."  
  
"That's not why I need it, Jet. I gave that up 2 hours ago. I need that burner because..."  
  
Spike explained why he needed the burner. He explained why the burner could be his only way out of the horrible nightmare that constantly haunts him to this very day. He couldn't lie in Jet's face; besides, they've been best of friends. After Spike was done explaining, only one thought popped in Jet's head:  
  
Spike has lost his mind.   
  
Jet shoved Spike out of the cockpit, walked out of it and shut the door behind him.  
  
"NO WAY, SPIKE! THERE IS NO WAY IN HELL YOU'RE GONNA USE THAT DAMN CIGARETTE BURNER TO- !"  
  
"THERE'S NO OTHER WAY, JET! It's is my only ticket out of the hell I'm going through! Now, stand aside and let me have it. I have to do this! For Julia. For Faye..."  
  
"FORGET IT, SPIKE! YOU'VE OFFICIALLY LOST IT!!" Jet rammed the bottom of his iron fist into the wall as he kept his attention on Spike.  
  
"If you want to get the burner that badly, you'll have to get past me!" Jet hoped that those words would make Spike reconsider. Jet was not only a little taller than Spike, but he was also more massive. With his iron arm, he had enough strength to end Spike's life with one blow. Jet put his left foot forward and put up his fists, giving Spike cold eyes.  
  
(Please walk away, Spike. I don't want to hurt you.) Jet thought to himself.  
  
What Spike did next made Jet's eyes widened. With a grim face, Spike put his right foot forward and put up his fists, keeping as calm as the wind. Spike wasn't as big as Jet, but he was totally ripped. Spike got even more ripped after his final encounter with Vicious. Spike started to bounce on the balls of his feet, staying as loose as the willows and keeping his sharp eyes on his obstacle.  
  
"Jet Black, as a friend, I'm gonna hurt you real bad if you don't let me have what I need. I'm gonna end my nightmare, even if it means breaking every bone in your body...."  
  
  
... to be concluded. 


	8. A New Beginning At Last

_______________________________________________________________________  
  
~~~Remember not the things of the past, the things of long ago consider not...~~~  
  
- ISAIAH, 43:18 -  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Jet Black crashed into the cockpit's door and fell on the side of his body. Jet shook off the dizziness and set his eyes on Spike. He saw Spike staring down on him, watching the blood slowly drip out of Jet's mouth.  
  
"Look, Jet, if you want to stay in one piece, then stand aside and let me in the cockpit. It's as simple as that," Spike said plainly. Wearing a face of stone and wiping the blood off the edge of his mouth, Jet slowly got back on his feet and faced his friend.  
  
(Shit. That son of a bitch kicks harder than a mule. He's far stronger than I thought...) Jet thought to himself.  
  
"Spike, this is madness! What the hell makes you think your plan's gonna work??" Jet asked, rubbing his cheek that Spike struck.  
  
"I know it will work, Jet. It's the right thing to do, believe me."  
  
"THAT'S BULLSHIT, SPIKE SPIEGEL! Since you're too damn stubborn to listen to me, I'm gonna have to BEAT it into ya!" Letting out a roar, Jet Black ran towards Spike and threw a quick right fist into Spike's face. Jet's incredible blow knocked Spike off his feet and had him launched 8 feet away. Jet's heart sunk when Spike lied on his back and didn't attempt to move at all.  
  
"Sorry, old buddy. But it's for your own goo-"  
  
Spike started to chuckle. Jet's heart beat with anxiety when he witnessed how Spike was able to take a blow from Jet; the iron-armed bounty hunter put everything into that strike. Shocked from Spike's full recovery, Jet took a few steps away from the warrior. With a grin, Spike hopped back onto his feet, wiped the blood from his mouth and put up his fists.  
  
"Hmph. I didn't know how much you cared about me, Jet. It's time for me to show how much I care about YOU!"  
  
--------------  
  
Faye Valentine woke up from her slumber in Spike's quarters. When she was about to wrap her arms around her love, she soon realized that Spike wasn't in bed with her anymore. Faye looked around, but she didn't see Spike anywhere.  
  
"Huh? Where did he go? Maybe he got the major case of the munchies from that wild time we had," Faye said, giggling. When she lied down and was about to close her eyes, she heard someone crash into a steel wall down the halls. After that, she then heard a lot of fists bashing into flesh and bone.  
  
"A fight? Why would those two be fighting?!" Faye put her clothes on and left Spike's quarters. Drawn from the sounds of fists flying and flesh getting bashed, Faye ran to where the fight was coming from.  
  
-----------------------------  
  
Jet held Spike in his full-nelson hold. Both faces bloodied, Jet and Spike fought to see whose strength was greater. Jet did his best to keep his fingers locked behind Spike's head and make him submit. Spike, feeling his shoulders stretching from the hold, refused to surrender.  
  
"It ain't gonna happen, Spike! NOT IN A MILLION YEARS!" Jet shouted.  
  
"... sorry, but I gotta disagree with ya!" Spike said. Spike slithered out of Jet's full-nelson hold, dropped on his rear, rolled back and smashed his heels into Jet's chin. Jet got launched into a wall and crashed hard into the steel floor. Seeing that Jet was out cold, Spike knelt down to Jet and checked his pulse on his throat. To Spike's relief, Jet still had a pulse.  
  
"Sorry, old friend. When this is over, I promise I won't be a pain in the ass anymore. Not like before," Spike said. Seeing that Jet is no longer an obstacle to worry about, Spike walked to the cockpit and opened its door.  
  
"Spike?" Faye's voice had Spike freeze in his tracks. Spike reluctantly set his attention to the purple-haired beauty.  
  
"Spike, what's going on here? And what the heck did you do to Jet?! Man, whatever you guys were fighting over must be something major," Faye said. Faye knelt down to Jet and checked if he was all right. Seeing that Jet was fine, Faye then walked to Spike and checked the small bruises on his face.  
  
"Man, you really messed each other up, especially in Jet's case. What was the disagreement about?" Faye asked, wiping some blood off of Spike's mouth with a hankerchief. Spike gently held Faye's hand. What Faye noticed was Spike's expression. It was ususally that of a carefree look, but somehow it looked different. Spike's expression was not that of being carefree, but more of being... complete.  
  
"Faye... there's something I have to do. You have to trust me," Spike said.  
  
"Spike... what do you plan on doing?" Faye asked, having the feeling that his answer won't be to her liking. Spike leaned down and gently kissed Faye in the lips. Faye's eyes flashed in surprise. Despite feeling a bit of blood on his mouth, Faye closed her eyes and kissed him back. After Spike broke away from the kiss, he smiled to Faye and carressed her face.  
  
"Thank you, Faye," Spike said. Faye wore a crooked grin.  
  
"Thank me for what? Giving you the best night of your life?" Faye asked. Spike chuckled and felt his face flush.  
  
"Thank you ... for helping me find the answer..." Spike slowly took his hand away from Faye's lovely face and entered the cockpit. The black- haired bounty hunter shut the cockpit's door behind him and locked it. When Faye walked back to Jet and checked on his wounds, Jet slowly opened his eyes and shook his head from the strike.  
  
"Faye... don't let him get inside the cockpit," Jet said weakly.  
  
"Too late. He's already inside," Faye said. Jet's eyes widened.  
  
"... oh no..."  
  
"Jet, can you fill me in on what's going on? I need to know," Faye said. Jet lowered his eyes, ashamed he failed to stop him.  
  
"Faye, Spike needs the cigarette burner in there. He's going to..."  
  
-----------------------------  
  
Spike sat comfortably in the pilot's seat as he watched the stars shine all of outer space. He learned from a seer that every soul has a guardian star, and when a soul leaves the physical world, so does his/her star. His eyes began to water when he set his eyes on a blank space where a star use to shine so brightly.  
  
"Julia... I'm so sorry for what happened to you. I took too much for granted, and for that too many of my friends suffered, some of them paying the ultimate price. It's time for me to pay for what I've done. For what I've done to Lin, to Shin, to Annie, to you..." With a blank face, Spike reached for the burner under the radio and pulled it out. He gazed into the hot metal that let out an orange glow.  
  
"Faye... You helped me not give up on life. When I lost Julia, I had a very rude awakening to the real world, and I didn't really want to have anything to do with it anymore. But you never gave up on me."  
  
A tear streamed down Spike's eye.  
  
"You're the reason I want to live, Faye. My past tries to consume me every day, but you pulled me away from its grip whenever it tried to swallow me whole. I want to live. I want to be with you! I don't want to lose you, not any of you! But the past keeps me away from getting closer to you all. Since the past refuses to leave me alone..."  
  
Feeling the world was slowing down, he stood up and continued to stare into the hot metal of the cigarette burner. As his left eye stared into the orange metal, his right eye continued to gaze into the stars.  
  
"I'm gonna destroy it. I'll finally be free."  
  
Spike heard a lot of banging from the other side of the cockpit door. Jet and Faye were screaming for Spike, screaming for him to stop what he was about to do.  
  
"DON'T DO IT, SPIKE! THERE HAS TO BE ANOTHER WAY!" Jet screamed.  
  
"YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO YOURSELF, SPIKE! I DON'T WANT YOU TO HURT YOURSELF! You've been through enough pain. Please don't do it..." Faye said. Spike heard Faye sobbing while Jet continued to bash the door down with his iron arm. Knowing that the door will hold, Spike aimed the cigarette burner at his left eye. He felt his pulse beating hard against his neck when he pried his left eye open and brought the burner closer to it. He could feel the burner's heat getting stronger when he brought it closer to his left eye.  
  
Suddenly, his left eye turned everything in Spike's sight gray. The music box played its lovely yet chilling music as he watched himself walk down the streets in the heavy rain. He watched himself carrying in his hand a bunch of roses, using the roses to conceal his machine gun and get the jump on the unsuspecting Red Dragons.  
  
As the music continued to play on, he watched all of the Red Dragons in a cathedral get blown away from the soulless warrior. Every rose petal fell to the floor as Spike continued to pull the trigger and end every Red Dragon's life. When he saw a Red Dragon shoot him in the chest, he saw himself pull a grenade ring and wear a mean grin, ready to blow everyone sky-high.  
  
An orange bright light instantly shined in his very eyes. The past slowly melted away from his mind, and the chilling music ceased. Slowly, Spike realized he was back in the present once more.  
  
All that was in the sight of his left eye was the hot cigarette burner, ready to forever end the nightmare.  
  
"You can't hold me back anymore. Jagged Edge had the answer all this time, and Faye and Jet helped me realize it. I won't let you torment me. I WILL MOVE ON WITHOUT YOU!!!"  
  
In a flash, Spike plunged the burner right into his left eye. When he felt the hot metal burning into his eye, Spike grinded his teeth and dropped the burner. Feeling the horrible pain eating into his eye, Spike staggered away from the chair and covered what's left of his left eye.  
  
Seeing the smoke come out of his left eye and through his fingers, Spike shut both eyes and collapsed, overwhelmed by the excruciating pain. Feeling the pain clawing at him mercilessly, Spike screamed.  
  
Spike screamed for forgiveness from Julia, screamed for forgiveness from all he got killed, screamed for Faye's love, screamed for his friends.  
  
Most of all... Spike screamed for change.  
~~~ 1 week later~~~  
The gray clouds hovered over the most famous (yet corrupt) city on the colony of Mars. Wearing a black trench coat, Spike stood over the grave of Julia. A black eye-patch covered what was left of Spike's left eye, leaving him 4/5 of his vision functional. Feeling his heart beat with sorrow, Spike held out a bunch of roses and presented it to the grave. Faye and Jet stood side-by-side with Spike, showing respect to the deceased Julia. The two clutched onto their gray trench coats when a gust of wind blew by the trio. After a moment of silence, Spike knelt down to the grave and gently placed the roses in front of her tombstone.  
  
"Julia, I'm sorry I wasn't able to protect you when we went head-to-head with the Red Dragon Clan. As you can see, I paid for what happened to you," Spike said, pointing to his patched eye.  
  
A bunch of autumn leaves were blown from the wind and flew past the bounty hunter.  
  
"Look, I know I'm not good at making speeches. What I really want to say is that I'm going to do what you always wanted me to do: get away from the nightmare and live a life worth having. To finally live is the only way for me to make up for all pain I've caused. Your death taught me that we have to live our lives to the fullest, and we have only one chance to do it.  
  
"Julia... I'm finally free, just like you are. The nightmare is over, and I'm going to do my best to live the best life possible! That's the only way for me to make you happy. Don't think that I'm gonna forget you. I'll never forget you, Julia. I'll bring roses to your grave every year. You always loved roses, and I'll never stop bringing them to you. Take care, Julia... take care..."  
  
When Spike slowly turned his back on the grave, Faye and Jet got the hint that it was time to go. When they left the cemetary, the Bebop trio walked down the quiet streets of the metropolis. Spike realized how quiet the streets were. All he sensed were the light gusts of wind and the sound of walking boots.  
  
No music box. No world turning gray. No more images of his dark past.  
  
Faye walked closer to Spike and wrapped her left arm around his waist. Feeling warm all over from her soft touch, Spike wrapped his arm around Faye's waist.  
  
"Does it still hurt, Spike?" Faye asked.  
  
"Naw. After feeling the burn for 24 hours, the pain finally went away," Spike said. Feeling relieved that Spike's fine, Faye rested her head on Spike's shoulder.  
  
"I got some good news for you two. I received an e-mail from Edward yesterday. Edward said she and Ein want us to head for Earth, saying that they found some kind of treasure. So we're gonna visit them on Earth next week after we get our bounty," Jet said.  
  
"Oh, brother. What was Edward on this time?" Spike asked.  
  
"No, I think she's serious. Edward kept babbling about some mysterious artifact that she claimed to be magical. Oh, I don't know. Maybe she really was on something," Jet said.  
  
"Great. Just what I need. Two things I can't stand: kids and animals," Spike said. This made Faye raise a brow.  
  
"I thought you also didn't like women with attitude," Faye said.  
  
"Them I don't mind anymore," Spike said, gently holding her closer. Faye smiled and pinched Spike's butt. Spike slightly jumped from her pinch. Remembering something very important, Spike turned his attention to Jet Black.  
  
"Jet."  
  
"Yeah, Spike?"  
  
"It's not wise to keep things from me, you know?"  
  
Jet's eyes widened when he realized what Spike was talking about. Jet quickly searched through his pockets, hoping the card was still with him. When he searched through his pockets, all he could feel was loose change. Jet's eyes turned to Spike. What Jet saw sunk his heart.  
  
In Spike's hand was the card, the invitation.  
  
"After checking with Edward, we have to prepare. You'll back me up, giving me 100%. Are you with me?" Spike asked. After seconds of silence, Jet let his eyes look down to the ground.  
  
"Sure. One hundred percent," Jet said slowly. Faye had no idea what they were talking about, but her main concern was Spike's well-being. Her smile faded away when she again gave Spike a look of concern.  
  
"Spike, how are you holding up? You're not having any problem with your eyesight, are you?" Faye asked, concerned that Spike didn't make a full recovery.  
  
When Spike looked up to the skies, he saw the sun crack its way through the heartless clouds. Seeing the light, Spike cracked a smile.  
  
"Faye... I can see things more clearly than ever before...."  
  
----------  
  
Never seen a blue sky  
  
Yeah I can feel it reaching out  
  
And moving closer  
  
There's something about blue  
  
Asked myself what it's all for  
  
You know the funny thing about it  
  
I couldn't answer  
  
No I couldn't answer  
  
Things have turned a deeper shade of blue  
  
And images that might be real  
  
May be illusion  
  
Keep flashing off and on  
  
Free  
  
Wanna be free  
  
Gonna be free  
  
And move among the stars  
  
You know they really aren't so far  
  
Feels so free  
  
Gotta know free  
  
Please  
  
Don't wake me from the dream  
  
It's really everything it seemed  
  
I'm so free  
  
No black and white in the blue  
  
Everything is clearer now  
  
Life is just a dream you know  
  
That's never ending  
  
I'm.. ascending..  
  
------------  
///~~~Ride On, Space Cowboy... Ride On...~~~///  
The End... for now... 


End file.
